Here’s another combination of Flamborough patterns, modelled by a handsome devil whose name escapes me for the present. The whole orientation of the pattern is vertical, so your eye is drawn naturally from top to bottom by the cables, the flanking ridges and even the diamond panels. It’s a little fiddly to knit, with all the seed stitches to keep track of, but the overall effect is quite dramatic.
It’s knit in cream wool, by “Classic Elite Yarns” of Lowell, Mass., a brand that Margaret brought back from a trip to America (though it says it was made in Britain), and which I’ve never come across before or since. But I really liked the yarn – it knit up softer than other guernsey yarn I’ve tried, and all in all this is my most comfortable gansey to wear. I made the collar a little longer than my usual one inch, and it does have a tendency to grip my adams’ apple like the Boston strangler, but I’m grateful to it in strong winds. I’m coming to prefer cream as my favourite gansey colour – certainly it shows off an intricate pattern like this one really well.
To read about how this gansey was knit, start here.
I think this is my favourite, Gordon. The colour and the pattern just work so well together, extemely well.
Hi Nigel, I agree, this is definitely my favourite gansey, and of all the ones I’ve knitted it’s the one that fits best, feels best. And, as you can see from the picture, it’s the one I wear for stoning unbelievers.
Gordon
Well, I’ll be! I had no idea that Classic Elite had a guernsey weight wool! I have some lovely Classic Elite 150 dk weight in my stash waiting to become a cardi; it’s nice and soft 🙂
Just popped over to Ravelry and they list “Guernsey” by Classic Elite Yarns and the label has a picture of a gansey on it (nothing like pictographs to help you out)
Hi Catherine,
Sorry it’s taken so long to get back to you – it’s hard managing a website using only a mobile phone!
Yes, the Classic Elite Yarns is probably my favourite gansey yarn, being a namby-pamby southern softie, I like my jumpers to not resemble scouring pads for preference. I wonder, does this mean it’s still available? If so i must order a lorry load.
Cheers,
Gordon
Americans have what they call “sport weight” yarn which is equivalent to a 4 or 5 ply. I had a look at the Classic Elite website and couldn’t find any specific guernsey yarn.
I don’t know if you’re on Ravelry, but I just did a yarn search for 100% wool, sport weight/5 ply and this was the result: http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/search#fiberc=1&fiber=wool&weight=sport&sort=best&view=thumblist (hopefully you can access that without being a member)
Many US brands there and some European and UK ones too.
Hi again Sarah,
Many thanks for this. I have recently joined Ravelry – and what a great site it is – for their ganseys board. Though I haven’t been very active for the last couple of months, what with the move and all. The last time I checked their yarn list most of them came up “no longer available”, which was very disappointing! But I didn’t think of trying sport weight, which is a good tip.
Cheers,
Gordon
Hi, I am looking for a knitter to make me a Flamborough Gansey. Can anyone here take this on?
I ordered and paid for one to be made for me in August, was measured up etc. and have just been to collect it. So disappointed! It was 2-3 sizes too small in every direction :o( I am gutted. The supplier admitted she hadnt measured it to check it would fit before I drove all the way to collect it.
I had paid £280 for it which is to be expected, but really couldnt have worn it.
Please can anyone put me in touch with a competent knitter?
Sam
Hi Sam,
Ouch! How frustrating. I’ll try to remember to ask the question for you in my blog on Monday, as more people are likely to read the latest posts, but in the meantime you might like to try either:
the Highland Loop Cooperative, e-mail: Highlandloop@gmail.com.
and/or
Rita Taylor, http://www.heritagehandknits.co.uk/index.html, e-mail: k2togp1@btinternet.com
Good luck!
Gordon
Hello Sam.
If you havent already found someone to knit your Gansey I will take on the task. I live on the Scottish Borders and belong to the Knitting and crochet guild and made some of the miniture ganseys for the Guild which I believe inspired the Moray Firth Project.
Regards
Mavis Clark
Dear Mavis,
you are a star for offering, thank you so much for replying. But i got my gansey. It turned out that a very small lady had ordered one at the same time I did, and mine was collected by her…… which is why the one they offered me was three sizes too small.
The mistake was rectified, much to my relief!
However, I would like to keep your contact details for the commissioning of a gansey for my husband or a Fairisle for myself later in the year. My email is samyorks@yahoo.co.uk please drop me a line soi have your email?
Thank you again,
Samantha (Hull)
Thank you Sam for getting back to me, I look forward to hearing from you in the future.
I am a member of the Knitting and Crochet Guild in Britain and a founder member of our local branch.
Mt email address is “Mavisclark@talktalk.net and I live in Wooler, Northumberland.
Regards
Mavis Clark
Sam,
an error with my e’mail address above it is mavisclark@talktalk,net not with capital as above
Mavis